Sleeve stretcher



March 3, 1953 A. OTTOSON 2,630,252

SLEEVE STRETCHER Filed June 1, 1949 2 SHEETS=SHEET 1 IN VEN TOR.

BY M MF W March 3, 1953 A. OTTOSON 2,630,252

SLEEVE STRETCHER Filed Jim 1, 1949 2 Sl-IEETS-SHEET 2 IN VEN TOR.

BY I W P w y Patented Mar. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLEEVE STRETCHER Anna Ottoson, New York, N. Y.

Application June 1, 1949, Serial No. 95,483

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved means for smoothing and drying rufiied sleeves.

In that type of dress for ladies and children which has rufiied and puff sleeves, the problem of ironing and smoothing out the puffs and ruffles is such that a very smooth job is difficult to attain, and where the pufis are formed of sheer material a hot iron frequently scorches the material. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide means whereby the puffs and sleeve bands may be smoothed out in a manner to eliminate wrinkles and with such means incapable of scorching the fabric. In the carrying out ofthis invention, an expansible ring is inserted into the pufi so that the puff will be held taut, and a band expander is inserted into the band. The pufi and band are preferably damp at the time of insertion of the expanding members, and the pufi and band are then permitted to dry while under the tension of the expanding members.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a sleeve smoothing device constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is an edge view of the device,

Figure 3 is a plan view of a sleeve band smoothing device,

Figure 4 is a detail front elevation partly in section, showing the sleeve or puff smoothing device and sleeve band smoothing device in applied position.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral l designates generally a resilient expandible ring formed of resilient wire. The ring i9 is split and one end thereof is formed into a U I! projecting inwardly, with one leg l2 of the U H having disposed in parallel ofiset relation with respect thereto an extension IS.

The other end of the wire forming the ring ill is bent in the shape of a second U-shaped member l4 disposed in parallel relation with the U-shaped member II, and one leg or side l5 of the U-shaped member M has disposed in parallel ofiset relation with respect thereto an extension [6. The end I! of the ring I0, which has the U-shaped member I4 formed integral therewith extends through the loop formed between the leg I2 and the extension 13, whereas the end l8 extends through the loop formed between the leg l5 and the extension I6.

The U-shaped members H and It also provide handles or grasping members by means of which the ring it] may be contracted by moving the members II and I4 away from each other. The ring H3 is adapted to be extended into the pufi of a sleeve S, as shown in Figure 4, the ring being contracted sufficiently to be slipped through the sleeve band B. After the ring 10 in its contracted form is slipped through the arm hole, the ring is released and will expand to a point where the puff of the sleeve S is stretched. The ring I0 is left within the sleeve until the material has thoroughly dried.

In order to provide a means whereby the band B may also be stretched, I have provided a longitudinally bowed band stretching wire 29 which is formed at the opposite ends thereof with downwardly convergent extensions 2|. The extensions 21 are adapted to engage the inner surface of the band B at diametrically opposed points and the extensions 2! merge in obtusely disposed arms 22. The arms 22 have extending therefrom substantially right angular extensions 23 terminating in eyes 24.

The arms 22 comprise handles by means of which the bowed connecting member 20 which connects the band engaging members 2| together may be contracted to provide for slipping of the members 2| on the inside of the sleeve band B. The arms 22 are then released whereupon the bowed connecting member 20 will stretch the band B and when the material has dried, the sleeve band will be in a condition which will not require ironing.

It will thus be readily apparent that the resilient expandible ring it serves to stretch the puff of the sleeve in one direction while the stretchingdevice simultaneously coacts therewith to expand the puff in another direction. By virtue of the simultaneous use of both of these devices, a perfectly shaped and formed puff sleeve results, which could be achieved in no other manner.

I do not mean to confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A sleeve stretching means for a puff sleeve garment comprised of a split annular ring insertible into the puff of the sleeve, and a stretching device coacting with said ring comprised of an integral element including a pair of convergent members connected at their divergent ends by a resilient connecting member for insertion into the band of said sleeve whereby said ring and said convergent and connecting members coacting hold said sleeve in desired stretched relation, said ring engaging about the convergent ends of said convergent members to limit the stretching efiected thereby.

2. A sleeve stretching means for a. puff sleeve garment comprised of a split annular ring insertible into the pufi of the sleeve, and a stretching device coacting with said ring comprised of an integral element including a pair of convergent members connected at their divergent ends by a resilient connecting member for insertion into the band of said sleeve, and a second pair of convergent members forming handle portions each converging toward the convergent and of. one of said first-mentioned pairs of convergent members, whereby said ring and said convergent and connecting members coactingly hold said sleeve in desired stretched relation, said ring en- ANNA OTTOSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 362,495 Crornmer May 10, 1887 612,281 Smith Oct. 11, 1898 748,008 Rabin Dec. 29, 1903 1,290,872 Bailey Jan. 14, 1919 2,076,326 Thornton Apr. 6, 1937 2,469,306 McKeehan May 3, 1949 2,485,257 Caldwell Oct. 18, 1949 

